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SmartThings

Doors that unlock via smartphone. Household appliances that can be operated remotely. Baby clothes with sensors that notify parents when their child rolls over.

The so-called Internet of Things – highlight of the Consumer Electronics Show — promises untold wonders. But it also will require rules, federal officials say.

At a panel discussion Wednesday, officials expressed concerns about issues like freeing enough airwaves to ensure the devices can communicate without interference. Regulators say they’re wary of imposing rules that would stifle innovation, but want to protect public security and privacy.

Federal Trade Commission member Maureen Ohlhausen said it’s crucial that the designers of Internet-enabled devices incorporate security and privacy, or risk a consumer backlash.

Ohlhausen said she’s reluctant to impose new rules, especially since the commission already has enforcement authority over companies that deceive users or cause them harm. “It is vital that government officials like myself approach new technologies with a dose of regulatory humility,” she said.

Former Republican Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell agreed, arguing that regulators are seldom able to anticipate how technology will evolve.

“I think regulators need to be very careful and allow markets to develop, not try to guess where it’s going to go because they’re probably going to be wrong,” McDowell said.

Robert Pepper, vice president for global technology policy at network-equipment maker Cisco Systems, echoed those sentiments, saying rules could have unintended consequences.

“Technology is moving faster than regulation,” Pepper said. “You can have a very serious negative impact if you regulate prematurely or in the wrong ways.”

Two key issues are privacy and security, including who has access to the devices and how the information they collect is shared.

Jeff Hagins, chief technology officer of connected-device maker Smart Things, said protecting privacy and security can hamper new features. It is “a constant balance for all companies in this space,” Hagins said.

Hagins argued that consumers are aware of how companies treat their privacy and security, amid news reports of large-scale breaches. He said consumers would increasingly view strong privacy and security protections as features, which companies could use to differentiate their products from competitors.

In a separate interview, Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said regulators need to authorize the use of more unlicensed radio spectrum, to accommodate the growing popularity of mobile data and streaming video. The commission is looking at expanding the amount of unlicensed spectrum by leveraging unused TV channels and other steps.